Diagnosed breast cancer

Hi ladybird,

Thanks for sharing your story.  It is understandable and completely normal that you are feeling scared about having chemotherapy, many people do feel this way before starting their treatment.  For example some people may be scared about the side effects of the treatment, they may be scared about having needles put in to have the treatment or just scared about how they will feel when having the treatment.

Before you start your treatment, your nurse will discuss with you in detail and provide written information about the treatment you will be having, what the side effects may be, what to expect and what to do should any issues arise.  They will give you contact details so you can call at any time day or night if you are unwell.  If there is something in particular that is worrying you or you have any questions, it may help to discuss it with your nurse, they may be able to put a plan in place to help you.  It may also help your fears to talk to family and friends how you are feeling so they can support you.  We have peer support volunteers available that we may be able to put you in touch with to discuss what their experience was with having treatment, it may help put your fears at ease to speak with someone else who has had chemotherapy.  Local cancer support groups are also a good resource to speak with other people who have had chemotherapy and they also provide counselling services free of charge.  There is information and videos on our website about chemotherapy and what to expect that may be helpful for you.  We also have information on our website about practical support available such as our transport services and information about supports available.

Please call us on 1800 200 700 if you would like to talk with a cancer nurse about what your fears are or if you have any questions, we would like to support you in any way we can.

Kind regards,

Cancer nurse. 

Hello ladybird
A very scary time for you, I was diagnosed last December and I had the same thoughts. A friend recommended a book called “ ticking off breast cancer “ by Sarah lyonage.
I found this book so helpful as the practical advice on each chapter gave me clear solid guidance.
I was able to have sucky sweets, thick socks , colouring book etc, all the things that made chemo so much easier for me, and organising myself gave me a focus and a sense of control.
I hope this helps
Dotgos